Snow-removing device



Jam 27, 1931. w. F. MESERVE ET AL 90,315

snow REMOVING DEVICE 7 Filed Oct. 12, 1926 '4 Sheets-Shoot l ATTORNEYS:

Jan.'27, I931. w. F. MESERVE ET AL SNOW REHOVING DEVICE Filed Oct. 12, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TORK ATTORNEYIS:

Jan. 27, 1931.- w. F. MESERVE ET AL ,7

snow xix-movms DEVICE I Filed Oct. 12, 1926 4 Sheets$haet 5 490 v v NVENToRfl/ 36 a9 J -27,: 1931: w. F. MESERVE ET-AL 3 Q sriow REMOVING DEVICE Filed Oct. 12, 1926 4 Sheets-Shut 4 l BY W F/a 5 /@MWW I ATTORNEY.

Patented 2 7, 1931 1 un rs WILLIAM r; MESERVEAND FoRansr.,c. MEsERv ,or SALEM,.N EW HAMPSHIRE;

snow-RE OVING DEVICE Application file'd October -12, 132 Serial No.;141=,i7a.

This invention relates to machines or apparatus for clearing roads of snow-material. Such material. varies in' consistency from light new fallen snow through all gradations of compactness to glaciated snow.v The-general purpose is to remove such material from highways, and .to deliver. it along'thesides thereof,..or1in'to trucks-or other vehicles in which it can be carried away. Toserve this 10; purpose practically and efficiently, we have vention, with respect to. the actual: separation of snow: material'from the-mass lying -on.- a: road is. markedlyqdiiferent 1n kind fromthat;

of eithera push plough orxrota-ry plough;

specific illustrations here presented, availed of to perform. afunction analogousto that of endless belt or: bucket conveyors, this auxiliary function is collateral to their chief and characteristic function and performance in respect tothe removal .offmaterial from theroad-mass.

Snow, especially tends to sticlrto objects thrust into oragainst it with relativelyslow movement, and correspondingly highpressure, such. as plough blades and .clefiectors, scooping buckets, or

conveying tubes. such as are. associated with rotary ploughs.-. e have found thatby using an independent highspeed motor to drive long-horizontal, narrow blades atigreat speed of attack upontha accumulated Isnow- I material while the machine as a .whole-is 5 moved forward.atrelatively low specd a thin and although ourinstruments for detaching such material from the mass are,;in thelayer of snow material is picked off "by-each blade in its transverse across the face of said material, and can be carried to a cross 'con'- veyor running at high speed, by which it is: shotout: clearon the side.

In our pending, application on theSnowremoving automobile, serial No. 680,369, filed Dec. 3,;1923, weshoW' a: construction, in 'which'the snow-material'cutting blades are. placed in front of the-radiator. and. ofuthew front steering wheels. Objection to this construction however is that where it isn'ecessary' to turn, the assemblage of cutters on their? endlesscarrier moves sideWise-through along are at the. forward end. In this present =de-. vice therefore we-use front. driving wheels srarEsiPAT NT QFpmE 4 and rear steering wheels whereby thefront and the seriesof blades-thereon. In therapparatus shown in the said application the blades have a pronouncedfcurved cross-section, which. if literally, adopted would. tend 1 to collect and becomeclogged with snowrmaterial and would be:imperfect1y adaptedtodischarge said material centrifugallyduring their rotative-movementaround the narrow end of the-carrierv frame, although for purposes of picking. or. slicing off snow-quaterial from a mass on theroad -the forward in clination of 'such blades, thougheextreme as; shown, is. not ill. adapted.

We therefore. prefer to use inplaceofsuch pronounced curvedblades slightly curved or evenflat faced blades whichin operation travel at great speed and thus. attackthe snow-material incisively, picking; it off in thin layers,

. f producing aomultitudecof fragments, and if Wet; and. compacted,

thereafter, on passing over. the upper. end of their rotative traverse, flingit off centrifugally and forcibly so that the snow-material is thrown-clear away, leaving the blades clean.

lUU

tirely independent of the main propelling motor and operates the endless chain of horizontal cutter blades and their carrier which extends out forward and is of a width preferably greater than the gauge of the wheels.

With this governor in connection with a slipping clutch of the usual type and the usual throttle, clutch, and gear shift, together with the usual brake, the operator instantly senses an inseparaole obstruction and can stop his vehicle propelling mechanism or slow it down as may be necessary. prevents any smash up.

chow material lemoving outfits of this kind must be capable of attacking deep drifts well packed, and also to work down close to the ground.

Our various endless chain type carriers, in eluding th.t for the snow-material slicing cutters and the collecting carrier and the discharging carrier, preferably all have substantially flat faced blades instead of deeply curved or pocket type, and these blades pass down under and then up over an apron, thence down over and around the end of the a JZOD at such high speed that the snow material is thrown clear by centrifugal force at the delivery end.

This construction and high olade-veloeity used on the endless chain system of blades which constitutes the instrument for attacking and removing snow-material from the mass on the roadway, and, in the machine herein described functions also as an elevating carrier allows the blades to be adjusted so as to work very close to the ground. Their high speed will not allow any lumps to form, or any snow-material to adhere to, pack against, and eventually clog the blades. The rotative speed of the endless carrier and the snow-material removing blades required both to keep the blades clear and unclogged, to attack the snow-material in such manner as to preclude any compacting effect on said material and thereafter to throw the material forcibly away from the blades, is of course variable within limits which, though practically real and discernible, are not susceptible of precise quantitative statement. If the velocity imparted to these blades be high enough to pick elf successive thin layers of glaciated snow it will be amply adequate to operate on less compact snow-mate l. We have demonstrated in practice that a velocity between six and eight hundred feet per minute enables the sno'wanaterial removing blades to attack such material in all grades of compactness or solidity likely to be encountered, without amming or stalling, packing or clogging, and to discharge said niaterial after removal from the mass on the roadway so as to keep the blades clean and clear of the material for succeeding operatien on the mass. The highspeed impact attack of the blades on the snow-material is The slipping clutch adically different in its effect from the slow advance of a push plow or scrapers rigidly attached to and moving with the locomotive vehicle, which not only requires very powerful locomotive effort, but is ineffective if glaciated snow is encountered, either riding over it, or jamming if itpenetrates it.

In the drawings, Fig. is a side elevation partly in section, showing our machine.

Fig. la shows blades having a pronouncer curvilinear cross section.

. Fig. Qis a plan also partly in section.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation from the left on the line 8.3'of Fig. 2, or looking in the direction of the arrows.

F 4 is a diagrammatic plan showing the driving means.

Fig. 5 is a detail of the governor and carburetor.

Fig. 6 is a detail of the carburetor and governing valve.

7 is a diagram showing another arrangement of our snow removing unit used in a different way.

8 is another diagram showing still another way of using our snow removing unit.

In the drawings, the principal features of our device include a propelling unit which includes the usual automobile chassis or frame A of any standard motor truck, carrying the motor B and having what would ordinarily be the rear wheels, but in this construction are the front wheels C, driven by a suitable connecting shaft from motor B, and the rear wheels D which would be ordinarily the front wheels, by which the unit is steered. This is shown as having the usual controls, to be described more in detail later.

The other part of the device is the snow material removing unit which includes the frame or frame work F which carries an independent high speed motor H the speed of which is controlled by the governor G and which controls the movement of the several endless chain type carriers, namely carrier K on which are mounted the horizontaltransverse blades 84-, the collecting carrier L and the discharging carrier M. The two latter are auxiliary to the carrier K and its blades 8 f which make initial attack on snow-material lying on the roadway as they pass from below up around the forward sprockets 82, then on emerging from the snow-material, (which they continue to slice off as far up as the mass to be encountered extends) function intermediately as elevating scrapers or flights, and thereafter, on passing over the narrowed sprockets 81 fling the snow-material centrifugally backward and downward to the collecting carrier L.

Preferably the construction of K, L and M includes an apron of wood or metal or other smooth material over which the endless chains cause the blades to pass carrying the snow rods not shown with the motor B whereby thewith them, discharging it. when they pass by the'sprocket wheels which carry the chains. a

i The main propelling frame or chassis A may be of any standard type which it is'not necessary to describe, and preferably includes the house or housing 10 having thewindow opening 11. i

2 represents the gasolene tank and 1 represents the usual steering wheel which we prefer to disconnect entirely'when the snow loading attachment is in place.

13 represents the steering post, 14 the'brakev by the floor 41 and floor beams 40 comprising part of the snow removing unit frame F. The throttle 20 is connected by suitable gasolene supply can'be governed from the seat 44. i r

The steering wheel 23 is carried by vertical post 123 having at its lower end a gear which meshes with another gear on horizontal steering rod-3 which engages a suitable gear on steering post 13 whereby the rear steering wheels D and D are turned. 7

The fo'ot brake' pedal 24 by'means of a wire rope 124 which passes over suitable guides connects with the extension 4 on brake pedal 14 thereby controlling it, and the gear shift lever 16 is moved by a rod 6 loosely and slidably pivoted at 46 and connected to the lower end of elevated gear shift lever 26 pivoted at 126 on gallery 42 whereby the gears may easily be shifted from the drivers seat. i I

The clutch pedal 27 is similarly connected by means of rods 127' and 127 with the regular clutch pedal 17. r g

The high speed motor H is of any usual explosive engine type having a self-starter or crank 51, a clutch and clutch lever 55 and gear shift 56 as shown in Fig.3. The motor is supplied from the additional gastank 50, through pipe 53 which passes into carburetor 55 having a butterfly valve or governor throttle shutter which canbe opened and closed.

by means of the governor G.

This governor may be of any usual type,

the one shown being of the locomotive type with the toggle joint action andcentrifugal balls or weights 317 In this particular governor, 301 is the governor lever housing and 302 the cap while 303 is the lever, 304 the fulcrum pin, 305 the thrust plug, 307 the adjusting screw by which the speed desired can be regulated.

308 is the carburetor intake pipe, 309 the governor throttle shaft plug, 310, 311, 312 the parts of a rack spring plug, 310 is the plug, 311 the spring and 312'the rack of such a governor, 313 the lever push rod, 314 push rod tube, 315 bushing and 316 the aveight block. 317, 317'are the weights, 318, 3 18 their pivot pins, 319Ithe plunger, 320 the spring and 321 the spring cap.

Thisparticular governor is operated from the water pump, the body of which is shown at 322 the. watervpump body 322 has bearings for'water pump'shaft'327 which carries gear 323 in which are pivot pins 318, 318, whereby the speed of water pump shaft 327 controls the outward throw of governorweights 317,

317, and thereforethe movement of plunger 319. and the various parts to rack 312.

308 is the carburetor intake pipe and located in this isa butterfly valve or governor throttle shutter 324 carried byshaft whichcarries a gear 326 in engagement with regular governor throttle rack 312.

Thegasoline feed pipe 53 enters carburetor float chamber 330 while 331 is the carburetor barrel and 332 the carburetor butterfly shaft and 333 carburetor butterfly valve.

The goyernor G is set by means of a screw 307 so that as the speed of water pump shaft 327 lnoreases or decreases, it operates the governor throttle shutter 324 thereby giving the v high speed motor H a uniform speed regard less of the load.

and sprockets are driven by means of the' sprocket shaft which carries a sprocket 86 driven from sprocket 87 on shaft 88 by means of chain 89. v I

180 is the main shaft of motor H and carries a sprocket 181 around which travels a chain 182 which drives another sprocket 183 and one part of compensating clutch N which is ofjthe slipping type. The other part of clutch N is carried by shaft 88 and thereby a certain yielding to obstructions is given to the elevating carrier.

Shaft '180 also carries another sprocket 190 around which passes a chain 191 which also travels around a sprocket 192 on counter shaft 193 which carries at one end a clutch 194 to connector disconnect the shaft 195 for driving the collecting carrier L and clutch 196 to connector disconnect the shaft 197 for drivin; the discharging carrier M.

The collecting carrier L includes an apron or floor along which the slats or scrapers 91 are caused to travel as they are attached to the chains 92 running over sprockets 93, 93 and 9- 1, 94:, driven by means of a shaft 95 carrying gear 96 which engages 97 on shaft 195.

The discharging carrier or truck loader hi is pivoted to the side fran e under the end of the collecting carrier L and includes the side frames 100, 100, between which is fixed the apron 101 over which travel the cross slats or scrapers 102 car: ed between the chains 103 and 10 2 which run over sprockets 105, 105 and 106, 106, these being driven from shaft 20? which carries sprocket 10? around w rich passes chain 108 driven by sprocket 109 on the same shaft with gears 110 which engages gear 1 1 on shaft 197. We prefer to use the clutches with suitable levers 115 for connecting or disconnecting the collecting chains and 116 for connecting or d is ounce-rang the dsbarging chains.

We prefer to use the curved deflector R opposite the rearward di charge end of the carrier K over collecting carrier i.

l ve also prefer to use a deflector wing l pivoted at the outer or upper end of the loader M so as to direct the snow rilownward instead of allowing it to be shot off sideways when the device is to be used for loading trucks.

This deflector can be controlled by means of a rope 120 passing over a suitable pulley to a suitable cleat 121 and the loader can be aised and lowered by means of ropes 12% nid 125 passing over suitable pulleys to a winch 126 which can be turned by hand and locked in place by a pawl 127.

T he provision of a high speed motor, (in dependent of the vehicle locomotor) and consequent high velocity of the blades 84: and the fact that the sector of their rotative path in which initial attacks on snow-material is made, is in the van of advance of the entire ap iiaratus, and spans a width at least equal to and preferably exceeding the tread-width or gauge of the vehicle, are important for the following reasons.

First: The high velocity with which the blades 84 successively attack the opposed face of the snow-material mass restricts the depth or section of material which each blade can sever from the mass to a small dimension, and the sharp impact of the blades edge knocks or picks off the material from the mass rapidly, preventing it from sticking to the blade -if the material be light or discrete snow-, or from checking or stalling the blade and endless carrierif the material be glaciated and substantially concrete or solid. The discrete character of the thus removed material, whether snow or shattered ice, is demonstrated by the condition in which it is centrirngally discharged at the rearward sprocket end of the carrier, where it is thrown off as a cloud of particles.

Second 2 The high normal speed of the carrier L and its blades 81, is substantially uniform; the rate at which snow-material is severed from the mass on the roadway ma be governed by the operators regulation of the vehicle motor; should he be inattentive when a stratum of heavier material is encountered, o slip of the clutch will warn him, and at a guard the apparatus against its the thus cooperant carriers are Jen in train from the high speed autotically governed motor, their several caties will always be in proper mutual re- Fourth: The blades, 84, which make the 'nitial attack on snowenaterial, being at least as long as, and preferably longer than, the overall width of the apparatus (with the exception of such parts as the discharging carrier M, which is too high to encounter any parts of piled or drifted snow) the snow-material removing blade system will prepare a path, cleared practically to ground, in which the advancing vehicle can easily progress.

As shown in 7, the snow removing and loading apparatus comprising the frame F, motor ll, governor G, snow-removing elevating carrier K and collecting carrier L might be mounted on the rear end of an ordinary truck such as 151 from which it might be v detachable or attachable without al- 4 the body.

In this case, the driver 150 would be facing to the rear but could be provided with a mirror 152 in which he could see the signals of another operator 153 standing on the ground, and by suitable signalling he could move faster or slower, stop or turn or do whatever was directed to do in a manner similar to the method in use in the pilot house on the old time steamships, having a speaking tube.

As shown in Fig. 8, a similar unit such as F, G, H, K, L, mounted on wheels 134,-, by means of couplings 130 might be attached to the front of a propelling unit 141 in which the operator 140 would be facing to the front. By means of two mirrors 132 and 138 on the principle of the periscope, he could see ahead over the top of the lifting carrier and guide himself to a certain extent although he might be assisted b T signals in a similar manner to that shown in Fig. 7.

lVith my snow removing unit with its independent motor and governor, there is no slowing down because the propelling speed is reduced. By adjusting the governor, the desired operating high speed may be adjusted, and this does not change whether the whole machine is advancing at the rate of one foot a minute or ten feet a minute.

We claim:

1. In a machine for clearing roads of snowmaterial, a locomotive vehicle, a travelling series of blades projecting in advance from the vehicle, said blades horizontally spanning a distance not substantially less than the greatest overall width of the entire apparatus with their sector of. attack on material to be cleared in the van of advance of the ap' paratus, each and all of said blades being,

formed to act as combined ice cutters and conveyors, a motor carried bythe vehicle and red to the travelling seriesof blades formed to act as combined ice cutters and conveyors, a carrier therefor of the endless chain type, sprockets at the forward and rearward ends of the apron, said blades horizontally spanning substantially the entire width of the apron, the width of the apron being not substantially less than the greatest overall width ofv the entire apparatus, the sectoraof attack of said blades upon said material to be cleared in the van of advance ofthe apparatus, a mo tor carried by the vehicle and geared to the said blade carrier to impart to the blades a a velocity of attack upon said-material adapted 'to shatter the same and removesuccessively .4

- frozen material, a locomot ve vehicle, fillinclined endless travelling series of cutter thin layers from the mass.

3. In a machine for clearing roads of snow material, a locomotive vehicle, an apron mounted on and project-ing'in advance from the vehicle, a series of horizontal transverse ice cutter blades, a carrier therefor of the endless chain type, sprockets at the forward and rearward ends of the apron, said blades horizontally spanning substantially the entire width of theapron, the width of the apron being'not substantially less than the greatest overall width of the entire apparatus, the'sector of attack of said blades upon 7 said material to be cleared in thevan of advance of the apparatus each and all of said blades being formed to act as combined ice,

' cutters and conveyors, amotor carried by the vehicle and geared to the said blade carrier to impart to the blades a velocity ofattack uponsaid material adapted to shatter the ice and remove successively thin layers from the mass,said cutter bladesiserving to convey the material rearwardly and to throw it 'ce'ntrifug'ally from the blades as these pass'over the rearward sprocket.

4. In a machine for cleaning roads of snow material, a locomotive vehicle, an inclined endless series of cutter blades projecting in advance of the vehicle and pivotally sue pended adjacent its upper end whereby said inclined series of cutter bladeshangs pendant with its lower end adjacent the ground,

means connected to said lower end for adjustably supporting the same and adjusting its elevation from the ground, the sector of at tack of said endless series of blades .beingin the van of advance of the apparatus, said cut- 'ter blades being of a length to substantiall' span the greatest overall width of the entire apparatus and eachblade being dished, and a motor carried by said vehicle and geared to said series of blades to impart thereto a velocity of attack upon ice suficient to cut or shave the same and remove successively thin layers from the mass. r

5. In amachine for clearing roads of frozen material, a locomotive vehicle, a travelling series ofcutter blades projecting in advance of the vehicle, said cutter blades horizontally spanning a distance not substantially less than the greatest overall width of the entire apparatus andbeing curved in cross section,

a motor carried by the vehicle and geared to the travellingseries of cutter blades to impart thereto a velocity of attack upon said material suflicient to shave or shatter the same and remove successively thin layers from the mass to discharge the same centrifugal force, a drivers station located behind the discharge end of said travelling series of blades,and shield means disposed in front of said drivers station to deflect centrifugally discharged material from said drivers station. Q 7 i 6. In a machine for clearing roads of blades projectingin advance of the vehicl each and all of said cutter blades being of dished cross section, means for operating said travelling seriesofblades at suiiicient velocity of attack upon the frozen material to shatter the same and remove successively thin layers from the mass, an elevated drivers cab located behind and adjacent the upper end of said inclined series of blades, said cab having a sightopening directly above the upper end of said inclined series of blades, and a shield located at the upper end of said inclined series ofblades to deflect the centrifugally discharged-material from saidv sight opening.

7.v In a machine for clearing roads of frozen material, a locomotive vehicle, a travelling series of cutter blades pro ecting in advance 'ofthe vehicle, said cutter blades horizontally spanning a distance not substantially less the same and remove successively thin layers 7 from thefrozen mass.

8. In a machine for clearing roads of snow material, a locomotive vehicle, an inclined endless travelling series of cutter blades projecting in advance-of the vehicle, each and all of said; cutter blades being of dished cross ill) section, means for operating said travelling series of blades at suflicient velocity to cause them to cut upwardly through snow and ice and rapidly convey it upwardly to discharge the same from the upper end of said travel ling series of blades by centrifugal force, and shield means at the upper discharge end of said series of blades to confine and guide the centrifugally discharged material.

9. In a machine for clearing roads of snow material, a locomotive vehicle, an inclined endless travelling series of cutter blades projecting in advance of the vehicle, each and all of said cutter blades being of dished cross section, means for operating said travelling series of blades at suiiicient velocity to cause them to cut upwardly through snow and ice and rapidly convey it upwardly to discharge the same from the upper end of said travelling series of blades by centrifugal force, and an arcuate shield disposed rearwardly of the upper discharge end of said series oi blades to confine and guide the centrifugally discharged material.

10. In a machine for clearing roads of frozen material, a locomotive vehicle, a traveling series of blades projecting in advance from the vehicle, said blades horizontally spanning a distance not substantially less than the greatest overall width of the entire apparatus with their sector of attack on material to be cleared in the van of advance of the apparatus, each and all of said blades being formed to act as combined ice cutters and conveyors, a motor carried by the vehicle and geared to the travelling series of blades to impart thereto a velocity of attack upon said material to shave the same and remove successively thin layers from the mass and to discharge the removed material from said travelling series of blades, and a conveyor receiving discharged material from the travelling series of blades and geared to said motor to be driven at a speed to discharge naterial by centrifugal force.

11. In a machine for clearing roads of snow material, locomotive vehicle, a travelling series of cutter blades projecting in advance of the vehicle, each of said cutter blades horizontally spanning a distance not substantial- 1y less than the greatest overall width of the entire apparatus with their sector of attack on material to be cleared in the van of advance of the apparatus, each and all of said cutter blades proper being of dished cross section, and a separate motor carried by the vehicle and geared to the travelling series of blades to impart thereto a velocity of attack upon said material suiiicient to cut or shave the same and remove successive thin layers from the mass.

12. I11 a machine for clearing roads of snow material, a locomotive vehicle, a traveling series of ice cutter blades projecting in advance from the vehicle, each and all of said blades proper being of dished cross'section and horizontally spanning a distance not substantially less than the greatest overall width of the entire apparatus, a motor carried by the vehicle and geared to the travelling series of blades to impart thereto a velocity of attack upon said material suiii cient to cut or shave the same and remove successively thin layers from the mass, and said blades serving to convey the cut material from the place of detachment from the mass to a point remote to discharge such material therefrom by centrifugal force.

13. In a machine for clearing roads of snow material, a locomotive vehicle, an apron mounted on and projecting in advance from the vehicle, a series of horizontal transverse cutter blades, a carrier therefore of the endless chain type, sprockets at the forward and rearward ends of the apron, said cutter blades horizontally spanning substantially the entire width of the apron and being not substantially less than the greatest overall width of the entire apparatus, said cutter blades being of dished cross section with their cutting edges disposed at an angle less than a right angle to said carrier, the apron and blades serving as means to convey material from the point of removal from the road mass rearwardly, and a motor carried by the vehicleand geared to said blade carrier to impart to the blades a velocity of. attack upon said material adapted to cut or shave the same and remove successively thin layers from the mass.

l l. In a machine for clearing roads of snow material, a locomotive vehicle, an endless inclined travelling series of cutter blades projecting in advance from the vehicle and pivotally suspended adjacent its upper end whereby the weight of the entire series of blades is imposed upon its lower end, means for adjustably supporting the lower end of said inclined series with its sector of attack on material to be cleared in the van of advance of the apparatus, each and all of said cutter blades being of dished cross section and being of a length to substantially span the greatest overall width of the entire apparatus, and a motor carried by the vehicle and geared to the travelling series of cutter blades to impart thereto a velocity of attack upon said material sufficient to cut or shave the same and remove successively thin layers from the mass.

VVILLI KM F. MESERVE. FORREST C. MESERVE. 

